Welcome to The Daily, where we go through the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every single day.

Today, we’re looking at Ecclesiastes 9:11:

Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. — Ecclesiastes 9:11

We like to think life is predictable. That hard work guarantees success. That wisdom leads to wealth. That strength always wins the battle.

But this verse? It flips that thinking upside down.

Solomon points out a frustrating reality—life doesn’t always go the way we expect. The fastest runner doesn’t always cross the finish line first. The strongest warrior can still lose the fight. The wisest man might struggle just to make ends meet.

Why? Because time and chance happen to them all.

Life is unpredictable. We can do everything right and still face setbacks. Plans fall apart. Opportunities slip through our fingers. Life isn’t a formula.

But here’s the good news—while the world runs on randomness, God does not. What looks like chance to us? It’s fully in His hands. He sees beyond our disappointments. He’s working everything—even the parts that don’t make sense—for His purpose.

So what do we do? We trust. We work hard, but we hold the results loosely. We stop trying to control everything and start walking by faith.

Because even when life doesn’t go as planned—God’s plan never fails.

#FaithOverFear, #TrustGodsPlan, #BibleWisdom

ASK THIS:

1. When have you experienced an unexpected setback despite doing everything right?
2. How does Ecclesiastes 9:11 challenge your views on success?
3. What area of your life do you struggle to surrender to God’s control?
4. How can you practice trusting God’s plan even when life seems unfair?

DO THIS:

Surrender your plans to God today—work hard but hold the results loosely, trusting that His purpose will always prevail.

PRAY THIS:

Father, I confess that I often try to control my life, expecting my efforts to guarantee success. Help me trust Your perfect plan, even when things don’t go as I expect. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

I Will Fear No More.